I actually have a medical reason for it, believe it or not (not that I think it would have to be justified anyway, but it just so happens I do). I used to have a full beard, but kept it short. As a fairly, er, big guy, a beard looked good on me, I'd been told. Anyway, in June 1999, when I landed my job in the Alberta civil service, after a long career in the private sector selling medical devices and software, I decided that now that I would be in a more public spotlight, I'd shave my beard off. However, in January 2000 I had a congenitally defective aortal valve replaced with an artificial valve (which sometimes you can hear; it sounds like I'm carrying a cheap pocket watch). With that comes a lifelong requirement for blood thinners to prevent strokes -- Coumadin being the DuPont trade name for warfarin, which was reworked at Hamilton ON's McMaster University for human medicinal use; this is the normal blood thinner prescribed for people in my situation.
Well, after our last election, in Spring 2000, we got a new minister of economic development, who also happens to be our local MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly), an affable and energetic fellow named Mark Norris. Normally we report to Innovation and Science, but we're kind of a joint task force, so we also do work for Economic Development*. My job wrt ministers involved briefing them before meetings with industry people (software and internet business was my sector), and often being present with them during the meeting. Normally we'd be very much part of the wallpaper during such meetings, quietly taking the odd note if the minister promised to do something (because it almost always fell to us to actually do what he promised), but Mark Norris's style is very different, and during the first meeting like this that I had with him, he got me very much directly involved, constantly asking me questions, or asking me to answer our guest's questions (our guest was a regional VP of a multinational computer company). Well, I went to the men's room in the Legislature after our meeting, and saw with horror that the area around my mouth looked like raw hamburger. Little shaving cuts hadn't stopped bleeding and it looked horrible. I was mortified -- I had been this way during the whole meeting and no one had warned me. I still have a teenager's skin in some respects, and it's particularly rough on my chin and upper lip area, so I decided to grow a goatee to prevent this from ever occurring again. The rest of my face is usually fairly smooth, so shaving doesn't present a problem. * I should point out that my use of the present tense is for simplicity's sake. I'm actually on long-term medical disability at the moment. While I hope to return to work some day, a position in Innovation and Science is only guaranteed for me up to September 2003, and I may not be ready to return by then. We'll just have to see. Gary Smith wrote: > No problemo, dude. As long as it isn't Kerry Shirts asking (as his > introduction to the link would probably be longer than this page). Just > keep it concise. > > BTW, I didn't know you had a goatee. Tom Matkin is a bald wrestler and > you are Colonel Sanders. Hmmmm.... Sounds like Canada is a pretty cool > place! > > K'aya K'ama, > Gerald/gary Smith gszion1 @juno.com http://www > .geocities.com/rameumptom/index.html > "No one is as hopelessly enslaved as the person who thinks he's free." - > Johann Wolfgang von Goethe > > Marc: Gary, do you mind if I link to this from my apologetics page? > > > ________________________________________________________________ > Sign Up for Juno Platinum Internet Access Today > Only $9.95 per month! > Visit www.juno.com > > ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// > /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// > ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// > -- Marc A. Schindler Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada -- Gateway to the Boreal Parkland �Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick himself up and continue on� � Winston Churchill Note: This communication represents the informal personal views of the author solely; its contents do not necessarily reflect those of the author�s employer, nor those of any organization with which the author may be associated. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ==^^=============================================================== This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^^===============================================================
